03_homecoming-第3部分

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Little　Rico　was　thinking　of　a　uniform　wanting　to　get　off　somebody。　Can　these　creatures　have　sentient　clothing？　Perhaps　with　artificial　enhancements？　That　would　indicate　a　supreme　control　of　Protoculture！　〃It　seems　these　Micronians　have　some　great　powers。〃

〃Micronians〃　had　always　been　a　derogatory　Zentraedi　term　for　small　humanoid　beings　such　as　Homo　sapiens。　Now；　the　spies　weren't　so　sure　that　the　condescension　was　justified。

Bron　nodded。　〃Well；　let's　keep　watch　and　see　what　else　we　can　find　out。〃

It　seemed　like　a　very　long　time　before　the　hatch　reopened。　The　Terrible　Trio　emerged；　each　dressed　for　a　night　on　the　town　in　a　different；　fetching　outfit。　They　laughed　and　joked；　going　off　in　the　opposite　direction；　leaving　the　very　faint　but　heady　fragrance　of　three　perfumes　in　the　passageway。

〃Different　clothes！〃　Rico　exclaimed　softly。　With　different　powers；　perhaps；　specialized　for　a　particular　mission？

〃I　know！〃　Bron　said　with　a　certain　surprising　emphasis。

〃Do　these　people　change　uniforms　every　time　they　do　something？〃　Konda　posed　a　tactical　question：

But　why；　then；　did　the　clothes　all　look　different？　The　spies　somehow　knew　what　they'd　just　seen　weren't　uniforms。　But　how　could　the　Micronians　bear　to　lose　their　identity　by　not　wearing　their　uniforms？　It　was　all　too　unsettling　for　words。

Not　to　mention　the　fact　that　the　three　Micronian　females　looked　and　sounded；　well；　somehow　delightful。　Beguiling。　It　was　very　puzzling。　The　three　looked　at　one　another。

〃Incredible；〃　Bron　summarized。

〃Uh；　but　what　does　it　all　mean？〃　Rico　said　with　troubled　brow。

Konda　rubbed　his　jaw　in　thought。　〃They　changed　their　clothes　in　that　partment　down　there。　So　that　means。。。we　can　get　disguises！〃

〃Good　thinking！〃　Bron　cried。

〃Let's　go！〃　Rico　exploded。

They　dashed　down　the　passageway；　bare　feet　slapping　the　deck。　After　first　making　sure　nobody　was　still　inside；　they　piled　through　the　hatch　together；　anxious　to　blend　in　with　the　Micronians。　And　though　none　of　them　admitted　it　to　the　others；　they　were　all　thinking　of　those　three　intriguing　Micronian　females　but　trying　not　to。

They'd　had　a　previous　close　encounter　with　the　human　enemy；　monitoring　SDF…1　transmissions　that　were　confusing　and　puzzling　but　ever　so　fascinating。　What　they'd　seen　was　the　swimsuit　petition　of　the　ship's　Miss　Macross　pageant。　Though　they　hadn't　been　able　to　make　head　or　tail　of　it；　and　neither　had　Zentraedi　intelligence　analysts；　the　experience　had　made　Rico；　Bron；　and　Konda　eager　to　sign　up　for　the　spying　mission。

Inside；　various　small　subpartments　opened　off　a　narrow　central　passageway。　The　spies　began　searching　through　them；　looking　for　garments　that　might　fit。

They　approached　the　clothes　tentatively；　timidly。　The　human　fabric　constructions　seemed　unthreatening　enough；　hanging　there　docilely；　but　if　they　somehow　incorporated　Protoculture　forces；　there　might　be　no　limit　to　what　they　could　do。　The　threesome　moved　as　carefully　as　if　they　were　in　the　midst　of　a　pack　of　sleeping　Dobermans。

When　at　last　they　worked　up　the　nerve　to　actually　touch　a　dangling　cuff　and　nothing　catastrophic　happened；　the　Zentraedi　proceeded　with　more　confidence。

A　pattern　emerged：　The　lockers　in　those　quarters　on　the　forward　side　of　the　passageway　tended　to　have　rather　recognizable　clothing　suited　to　normal　activities；　even　if　the　cut　was　a　little　strange。　The　ones　on　the　aft　side；　however；　had　frilly　things；　as　well　as　trousers　and　the　skirt…type　uniforms　the　females　had　worn；　as　well　as　more　elaborate　designs　of　the　same　undivided　lower　garments。

After　a　lot　of　rummaging　and　trying　on；　Konda　and　Rico；　now　in　human　attire；　stepped　back　into　the　main　passageway。　Konda　wore　dark　slacks　and　a　yellow　turtleneck；　settling　the　collar　unfortably。　Rico　had　found　blue　trousers　and　a　red　pullover。

〃Hey；　Bron；　let's　get　moving！〃　Rico　called。

〃This　uniform　is　very　unusual；〃　Bron　said；　lumbering　to　catch　up。　〃But　it's　all　I　can　find　that　fits　me。　I　dressed　to　conform　with　a　two…dimensional　image　I　saw　in　that　partment。　What　d'　you　think？〃

Bron　held　out　the　hem　of　his　pleated　skirt；　standing　awkwardly　in　the　large　pumps　he'd　found。　His　white　silk　blouse　was　arranged　correctly；　its　fluffy　bow　tie　and　the　tasteful　string　of　pearls　exactly　corresponding　to　the　fashion　photo　he'd　seen。

〃Y'　look　fine；　Bron！　Now；　let's　get　started；〃　Rico　snapped。　Bron　looked　wounded。

Rico　was　edgy；　he　and　the　others　had　e　aboard　unarmed；　since　all　Zentraedi　weapons　were　now　far　too　big　for　them　to　handle　or　hide。　They'd　found　no　Micronian　weapons　at　all　in　the　humans'　personal　quarters　except　those　of　a　makeshift　and　unsuitable　sort。　How　could　these　creatures　feel　any　peace　of　mind　without　at　least　a　few　small　arms　close　at　hand？　It　all　made　less　and　less　sense。

Bron　glowered；　and　Rico　subsided；　it　was　unwise　to　get　the　big　fellow　irritated。　Bron　gave　his　skirt　a　final　hitch　and　said；　〃Ready。〃

They　fell　in　together　and　trooped　off　in　the　direction　the　Terrible　Trio　had　gone；　ready　to　bring　triumph　and　glory　to　the　mighty　Zentraedi　race。


CHAPTER　THREE

We　had　met　the　enemy；　and　he　wasn't　us。　Then　we　wound　up　in　front　of　some　of　〃us；〃　and　they　were　the　enemy。
Lisa　Hayes；　Recollections

〃Please　continue　your　report；　mander　Hayes；〃　the　captain　bade　her。

They　sat　in　high…back　chairs　along　the　gleaming　conference　room　table；　all　in　a　row。　A　short　time　ago　they'd　been　greeted　as　heroes；　but　now…despite　Captain　Gloval's　forting　presence…Lisa　felt　very　much　as　if　she　were　sitting　before　a　board　of　inquiry。

Lisa；　Rick；　Ben；　and　Max　looked　across　the　long；　wide　table　at　the　row　of　four　member　officers　of　the　evaluation　team。　Only　one　of　them　held　rank　in　one　of　the　bat　arms；　Colonel　Maistroff；　an　Air　Group　officer　with　a　reputation　as　a　martinet　and　stuffed　shirt。

The　others　were　intelligence　and　operations　staffers；　though　the　bearded　and　balding　Major　Aldershot　was　supposed　to　be　something　of　a　mainstay　over　at　G3　Operations　and　had　earned　a　bat　Infantry　Star　in　his　youth。　The　team　studied　the　escapees　as　if　they　were　something　on　a　microscope　slide。

Gloval；　presiding　at　the　head　of　the　table；　was　encouraging　Lisa。　〃You　are　certain　that　what　you've　made　is　a　fair　estimate？　At　this　Zentraedi　central　base　there　are　really　that　many　more　ships　than　we've　already　seen？〃　The　link　handset　next　to　him　began　beeping　softly；　he　ignored　it。

Lisa　thought　carefully。　So　many　things　about　their　captivity　in　the　planetoid…size　enemy　base；　a　spacefold　jump　away…somewhere　else　in　the　universe…were　astounding　and　unnerving　that　she　rechecked　her　recollections　again；　minutely。

Rick　looked　over　to　her；　and　their　eyes　met。　He　didn't　nod；　that　might　have　tainted　her　testimony。　But　she　saw　that　he　was　ready　to　back　her　up。

〃Yes；　sir；　at　least　that　many。　And　quite　possibly　millions　more。　I　made　a　conservative　estimate。〃

Gloval；　hand　on　the　phone；　looked　to　Rick。　〃Truly？〃

Rick　nodded。　〃Yes；　sir。　That　many。〃

Gloval　listened　to　the　handset　for　a　moment；　then　replaced　it　in　its　cradle　without　responding。　〃Based　on　all　bined　reports；〃　he　resumed；　〃our　puters　place　the　total　enemy　resources　at　somewhere　between　four　and　five　million　ships。〃

〃Sir；　forgive　me；　but　that's　ridiculous；〃　one　team　member　said。　From　the　security　branch；　he　was　the　officer　who'd　been　all　for　destroying　the　escapees'　pod。　〃Our　projections　are　based　on　the　most　accurate　data　and　statistical　techniques　known。

〃No　species　could　accumulate　that　sort　of　power！　And　even　if　they　could；　they　couldn't　possibly　remain　at　the　primitive　social　and　psychological　level　of　these　aliens！〃

〃Now；　granted；　we're　seeing　a　great　deal　of　military　display　here；〃　the　Intel　man；　a　portly　fellow　in　his　early　thirties；　added。　〃But　how　many　of　those　ships　have　actually　proved　themselves　to　be　bat…ready？　A　parative　handful！　No；　Captain；　I　think　what　we're　seeing　is　just　a　bluff。　And　I　think　your　people　here　have　been　taken　in　by　it。　My　analysis　is　that　mander　Hayes　and　her　party　were　permitted　to　escape　so　that　they　could　bring　us　this。。。hysterical　report　and　demoralize　us。〃

〃Permitted？〃　Ben　Dixon　was　halfway　out　of　his　chair；　the　big　hands　clenched　into　fists；　about　to　leap　across　the　table　and　pummel　the　intel　officer。　〃D'　you　know　how　many　times　we　almost　got　killed？　How　close　we　came　to　not　making　it？　When　was　the　last　time　you　saw　any　action；　you…〃

〃Captain！〃　the　intelligence　officer　burst　out　to　Gloval　by　way　of　plaint。

〃That　will　do！〃　Gloval　thundered；　and　there　was　sudden　silence　as　Max　Sterling　and　Rick　Hunter　pulled　Ben　back。

Having　shown　his　Jovian　side　for　an　instant；　Gloval　lapsed　back　into　a　reasonable　voice。　〃Gentlemen；　let's　hear　the　entire　report　before　discussing　it。〃　It　wasn't　a　suggestion；　and　everybody　understood　that。　The　debriefing　team　subsided。

Lisa　had　thought　her　words　out　carefully。　〃In　the　course　of　our　captivity；　we　observed　that　the　aliens　have　absolutely　no　concept　of　human　emotions。　They've　been　groomed　entirely　for　war。　And　their　society　is　organized　along　purely　military　lines。

〃It　appears　that　they've　increased　their　physical　size　and　strength　artificially　through　genetic　manipulation　and　that　they　also　have　the　ability　to　reverse　the　process。〃

The　others　present　were　studying　the　few　video　records　she'd　managed　to　make　surreptitiously　during　captivity；　but　Lisa's　memory；　with　Rick's；　Ben's；　and　Max's；　provided　vivid　and　chilling　recollections。　They'd　witnessed　Zentraedi　trans…vid　records　of　the　destruction　of　an　entire　planet；　seen　the　gigantic　protoculture　sizing　chambers　the　aliens　used　to　manipulate　their　size　and　structure；　felt　the　deathly　squeeze　of　mander　in　Chief　Dolza's　fist　around　them。

And　something　else　had　happened；　something　Lisa　could　only　bring　herself　to　refer　to　obliquely。　The　enemy　leaders　had　been　repulsed；　but　fascinated；　by　the　human　custom　of　kissing。　At　their　demand；　and　to　ascertain　what　effect　it　would　have　on　them；　Lisa　and　Rick　had　kissed；　long　and　deeply；　on　an　enemy　conference　table　as　big　as　a　playing　field。

None　of　the　four　escapees　had　mentioned　the　kiss。　Lisa　still　wasn't　sure　exactly　what　it　was　she'd　felt　afterward。　She　suspected　that　Rick　was　also　a　little　confused；　in　spite　of　his　love　affair　with　the　girl　called　Minmei。　M